mommyhood: don't panic! chances are it might happen #1

i previously mentioned that i tried to prepare as much as possible for becoming a mommy. but in reality its one of those live and learn kind of situations. "go with your gut" is what i have always been told. but here a few things, that i've discovered and been through with benjamin over the first almost three months since he arrived. now these dont happen to everyone, but they did to us.

Q: where did our sweet little boy go?
when we had benjamin and we cooped cozily up in the hospital, he was a great baby. never really fussed & slept alot! then we came home. do they infuse drugs through their ventilation systems or something? because as soon as we came home it was totally opposite. he didnt like to sleep and he cried (well more like blood curdling screamed) all night long. secret to us: the formula they had us supplementing tore up his poor tummy. we now use sensitive and are on the right path to big boy city!

Q: what are all those little red spots on his head and face? we thought it was baby acne. nope wrong again. baby acne actually is a little larger in size. what these were actually is just a basic heat rash. babies, when they are born, all their sweat glands havent opened yet & so when they are hot, fussy or just basically irritated, those glands clog, because they are still opening. so we stuck to mild soaps and keeping him as cool as possible. too bad he has this fuzzy blanket he absolutely loves and we live in Texas! all in all secret to us: this should clear up by month 5. phew!

Q: Ack! Why are his eyes all crunchy and boogery? another one of those babies and body things. his tear ducts havent fully opened so they clog easily. secret to us: this is easy to take care of. massage tear duct a few times a day and lay a warm compress on their eyes to have unclog those ducts! ours went away on its own, but if by 4 months you are still having problems, the dr can help out.

Q: My modesty! What happened to it? Yep, that pretty much goes out the window when you're pregnant. And whats even funnier, is how quickly you forget you ever even had any. I was bound and determined, no one was gonna see anything when I delivered, except those doctors. Well deliveries are completely different for everyone and everything can change in a split second. So just be prepared!

Q: Is that a seizure? Why is he hitting me? Eh, chances are its not a seizure. I panicked about this! But babies are getting control of motor skills and some even have the startle reflex causing them to flail some when they sleep. No worries, this goes away. Thank goodness! Co-sleeping with a flailer is tough on my body.

Q: Does it ever get better? Yes it does! My aunt told me if we can get through the first 3 weeks, we will survive.  And honestly, I really have no clue how we did it. I cried more in those first weeks then I ever did in my whole life. Counting labor! I actually never even cried during labor until they told me he was positioned wrong and I was going to have a c-section. But yes, it is terribly trying, hard, and stressful, not to mention, sleep lacking, but its worth every second of the chaos. Adult Swim, baseball & lots of milkshakes got me through it. Its okay! It doesnt make you a bad parent, even though you feel like it all the time during those first few weeks.


That's just a few of the oh-em-gee moments we have had, with a million more to follow. Make this a series? I just might. Anything you are wondering or have questions about? Chances are, this little family has been there.

mommyhood: the good, the bad, and the ones that have me scratching my head

when i first found out that i was going to have a baby i had to get the popular "what to expect when you're expecting" book, because they have all the answers right. haha yeah, that was a good one. i've learned so many things since having him that make me thinking, "wheres that book?!"

the good:

-easily putting back that super awesome shirt you found to buy him another rattle toy, because he smiles when you shake it.

-the smiles over the simplest things

-the smiles because they recognize you or your voice.

-the coos.

-bathtime and watching him kicks his legs in excitement when he first hits the water.

-snuggling, snuggling, snuggling.

-that moment when you realize hes finally asleep.

the bad:

-how they easily figure out to pinch that thin layer of fat on your neck or arms and hold on like the world is ending. 

-hair pulling

-spit up. oh how it smells.

-the screams because they are hungry. you try to get food as quickly as possible but it never seems fast enough.

-hitting every red light on the way somewhere with a screaming child

-leaky diapers

the head scratchers:

-one second no paci, next second, paci saves the day.

-how quickly diapers and formula disappear. "seriously, didnt i just buy that?"

-how a small little being needs so much luggage. seriously its like moving anytime we go anywhere.

-must get up at 6 to be out of the house by 10 if i'm wanting to look halfway decent.

-how such big boogers come of that little bitty nose.

-how quickly they grow. he's going to be driving any day now.

-you somehow figure out how to one hand everything. eating your own food, getting yourself ready, cooking & my personal favorite driving with one hand and reaching in the backseat to put a paci in his mouth.

and most of all, the best thing ever

-how i could love something so much that i dont know how life existed before him.

what are some of your most favorite, ugliest or head scratching moments of parenthood?

the next chapter of my novel..

over the past several months, husband and i have been keeping a semi-secret. and i have been over the moon about it since we finally made a decision, but just started speaking of it recently on instagram, once the parties affected found out.

i'm gonna be a stay at home mom!  well for the most part. with the ridiculous costs of daycare against my income plus gas, it was not worth it. i have taken a part-time job to help keep me from going totally bonkers plus bring a little extra money so we can still afford life without relying on ramen noodles and hot dogs as food.

it was a very hard decision to make. working eight years in one place gets engrained into you. you have a schedule. you make friendships. but it is bittersweet. getting to spend the majority of moments watching benjamin grow is something i feel extremely blessed to be able to do. it will be a change. but it will be a good change from what i've been accustomed to for so long.

as a mom now, i finally found my reason. its for him.
so a new chapter begins.

its been a life changing four weeks.

can you believe it's been four weeks since I had Benjamin?? I can't believe how quickly it flew by. Next thing I know he will be asking me to buy him a car. Yikes!

During these four weeks I have learned so many things about myself that I was not prepared for.

I learned patience. Excessive amounts of patience. No one really knows how hard being a parent is until you are home, on your own and your child is crying and you can't figure out why. You have tried everything and nothing consoles them. It's the worst feeling in the world to not be able to console your child. It makes you feel like the worst parent in the world. But it's times like this that you have to take a deep breath and tell yourself it's going to get better.

I've learned that postpartum depression is no joke. I cried everyday for what seemed like for days. The hormone roller coaster makes you feel completely crazy on the inside. It makes you want to just walk away from everything. Without my supporting family and husband, i could have easily become one of those stats. But luckily those feelings have subsided. It was just the baby blues that we all experience for the first weeks after birth. But I do have a much deeper sympathy for those moms who aren't so lucky. And if you think you have postpartum depression don't fret, just talk to your doctor and get help. You aren't any less of a mom. I promise.

Ive learned love. Real love. The love I have for my husband and Benjamin are much stronger than I ever thought possible. It's amazing how that feeling hits you once your child gets here. And how it gets stronger everyday.

And just one more thing. I have decided to share photos of Benjamin on my blog. Enjoy!

alittle cosmetics. haircare. fragrance. skin. and more.

 

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so way back, i sold avon. and i loved it, but just didnt have enough time with life, school, avon, work. so i stopped.

well here i am. years later. married. and a new mommy. and we all now, babies equal money. diapers, formula, etc. so i've decided to get back into avon to help bring in extra moola to the family.

while selling face to face, i'm also an e-rep, so i have a cute little online site that you can order from and even have shipped to you directly! how awesome is that?  so if you need a little avon in your life, like their super awesome SOS bath oil, then hop on over...  i've also added a permanent link/tab up top to get you to my store at anytime.

if you should have any questions, concerns, etc about ordering, feel free to contact me via email: cheersbethani {at} live {dot} com & i would be more than happy to assist you.

as for benjamin, we're still working on a routine & he has decided he likes to be a belly sleeper, which makes this momma terrible nervous and cautious so hes been sleeping on my chest every night. bad habit, i know, but otherwise, he screams and no one sleeps. i chose sleeping. :)

we are three, but privacy is a crowd.

our mr benjamin turned one week old yesterday. seriously that week was fast, but the vast of the week was in a hospital room recovering from a crazy whirlwind delivery that definitely wasnt expected by any of us. we couldnt be more blessed with a super perfect handsome little guy.

we're learning each other and our ways right now, and its definitely a new way of life for all of us, but i wouldnt change a thing about any of it. well maybe the colic part.

i'm still trying to decide on the whole privacy of it all.  whether or not to share photos of him on the blog. i definitely am not on facebook. too much drama & unwanted publicity for people i generally dont feel need to see his handsome little face. i want to share him, but it should be his decision down the road; plus i dont want him marketing some random company that i have no earthy clue about.

but if you do have instagram (which i think you should, cause its super awesome) i'm sharing some pictures there. cheersbethani is the name.

so for now enjoy him there until i get my thoughts further together.

it's like waiting for water to boil

so I'm 39 weeks and a couple days pregnant and can officially say I have never been more anxious and excited for something in my life.

Now the waiting game begins. Will he come early? On time? Have to be pulled out by the strengths of a c-section and great drugs? God literally only knows. It's the one time I wish fortune tellers, cookies and all that wonky stuff wasn't so weird and wonky.

But maybe the mystery is just a good way to teach me patience.

benjamin & buddy the elf.



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if you've been an avid cheers, bethani blog reader, you know my fascination with christmas. and maybe buddy the elf.

but this post has nothing to with christmas. but a little about buddy the elf.

yesterday was my 6 month check up at the baby doctor.  i look forward to every appointment. to make sure benjamin is growing properly, that he's still a benjamin (which now we are 100% sure) and make sure i'm doing okay, blood pressure wise and all. and yesterday did not disappoint.

typically at this point, baby's weigh approx. 1-1.5 lbs in the womb.  well apparently benjamin has already decided he is an overacheiver. based on the super awesome high tech sonogram tools, benjamin weighs 1.11 lbs.  seriously 6 oz over the "typical" weight in the womb.  i still have 4 months to go & the last trimester is when baby's go into super growing mode.  dear lord, help me..

but i shouldnt be surprised. husband is a big guy. and was a big baby too.

but hopefully i dont have a buddy the elf on my hands. i'm not that big. i'm 5'3''. and i can imagine benjamin sitting in my lap at 6 months wearing size 2T clothes. now that would be a picture.

anyone else have super sized babies in the womb?? or deliver a super size baby??

mister benjamin: some DIY projects

everytime i walk through a baby department, anywhere my little heart fills with warmth and joy as i eagerly browse through all the boy things. puppy dogs & skateboards & baseballs & dinosaurs & bowties. oh how the list goes on and on.

our sweet benjamin is already spoiled by his mommy, daddy and loved ones and he's not even here yet. i think hes got more clothes than mommy does.  but thats the way it usually works with kids, doesnt it? 

as i mentioned previously, like a few posts ago, i hope to get out my sewing machine really soon and begin crafting away at some items for him.  like too cute for words bowties & fun stuffed animals like a dinosaur are just a couple of things i've been thinking of adding to my list.

and maybe just maybe i can give my graphic design beginner skills a go and try my hand at a monographed print to don on his bookcase or dresser. 

oh let the fun begin. 
120 days and counting until his due date.
cook my little benjamin cook.